Man charged with assaulting officer, damaging Bartell Drugs

Suspect to enter plea Feb. 21 for felony charges

By CASEY MCNERTHNEY, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

Published 8:34 pm, Tuesday, February 12, 2013

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Prosecutors said Stephen T. Sagmo, 20, shattered five windows at this Bartell Drugs on Fifth Avenue the night of Feb. 5, 2013, causing $3,015.63 in damage. He has been charged with second-degree malicious mischief and third-degree assault for kicking an officer who arrested him. This picture of the Bartell Drugs at 1628 Fifth Avenue was taken in July 2011.

Prosecutors said Stephen T. Sagmo, 20, shattered five windows at this Bartell Drugs on Fifth Avenue the night of Feb. 5, 2013, causing $3,015.63 in damage. He has been charged with second-degree malicious

Stephen T. Sagmo, who authorities said is a risk to public safety because of his violent and erratic behavior, has been charged with smashing five windows of a Bartell Dugs and assaulting a police officer who arrested him.

Stephen T. Sagmo, who authorities said is a risk to public safety because of his violent and erratic behavior, has been charged with smashing five windows of a Bartell Dugs and assaulting a police officer who

A man who authorities said is a risk to public safety because of violent and erratic behavior has been charged with smashing five windows of a Bartell Drugs and assaulting a police officer who arrested him.

Stephen T. Sagmo, 20, was in the 1600 block of Fifth Avenue about 11:40 p.m. Feb. 5 when police said he started kicking windows of the store. Police arrived and found him with a black beanie and sweatshirt, and at least one of the witnesses identified him as the man who shattered the windows.

But police said Sagmo, who court documents show has a history of violating domestic violence protection orders, refused to get into the back of a patrol vehicle.

An officer "pushed Sagmo into the back of the patrol vehicle by pushing on the back-side of his knee," Seattle Police Det. Donna Stangeland wrote in a probable cause document. "Sagmo immediately sat down in the rear seat of the vehicle, but then turned and kicked (the officer's) left knee very forcefully."

The officer reported severe pain that made a snapping or cracking noise the following day.

Stangeland wrote that during an interview at King County Jail, Sagmo admitted to breaking the windows and assaulting the officer because he "pissed me off." Earlier in the conversation he denied the assault, according to court documents.

The damage to the Bartell Drugs branch totaled $3,015.63, police were told.

Sagmo's last listed address was in Des Moines, but prosecutors said he no longer has an address to receive mail. His previous convictions include two cases of violating a protection order, domestic violence assault and theft, according to court documents show.

Jail records show he was booked four times in 2012 and was released only 11 days before being arrested for the suspected assault and property destruction. Sagmo's rapid recidivism show he's clearly a danger to the community, Deputy Prosecutor Stephan Thomas wrote in charging documents.

Jailed in lieu of $27,500 bail, Sagmo is expected to enter a plea for the third-degree assault and second-degree malicious mischief charges at his Feb. 21 arraignment.